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New Day Sunday

Americans Flock To Public Places As Death Toll Nears 100,000; North Carolina Reports Highest One-Day Total Of New Infections; Arkansas Governor Reports "Second Peak" Of New Cases; Trump Traveling Tomorrow For Memorial Day Ceremonies; New Safety Measures As Memorial Day Ceremonies Adjust To COVID-19; Trump To Visit Fort McHenry In Baltimore Tomorrow. Aired 6-7a ET

Aired May 24, 2020 - 06:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


[06:00:14]

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

POLO SANDOVAL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The first summer holiday since the start of the COVID outbreak, and Americans are flocking to beaches from coast to coast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been quarantining for a while.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't gone to coffee. We cut everything off. And this is the first time we've come out.

MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ (R), MIAMI: We've seen, unfortunately, you know, throughout the country, beaches have opened a tremendous amount of irresponsible behavior.

BORIS SANCHEZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Though Americans may not be paying their respects in person this Memorial Day weekend will not go by without Americans in various ways honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

MICHAEL LITTERST, NATIONAL PARK SERVICE: It wasn't a question of are we going to do something or aren't we going to do something? It was a matter of how can we still honor these fallen men and women while at the same time protecting our visitors and folks who might want to come out?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ANNOUNCER: This is NEW DAY WEEKEND with Victor Blackwell and Christi Paul.

VICTOR BLACKWELL, CNN ANCHOR: Well, look at the sunrise across downtown Atlanta. Good morning to you.

It really is surreal what we're seeing this weekend, people out in crowds without masks, making the most of the Memorial Day weekend, in the context of the U.S. nearing 100,000 lives lost to COVID-19.

CHRISTI PAUL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes, from coast to coast. We're (INAUDIBLE) sunshine state, because it's luring people back to beaches and parks. And let's go, in fact, to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Look at the crowds that you see there, up and down the coast. In Ocean City, Maryland, crowds packing the boardwalk. Masks recommended there, not required, we should point out.

Virginia Beach. There are beach ambassadors, as they're called, enforcing social distancing rules. But staying six feet apart looks pretty difficult in Gulf Shores, Alabama, because even the water was packed with people there.

BLACKWELL: And of course, you know why all of this matters is because health officials are predicting a new surge of cases in the south. There are some signs that may be happening already.

North Carolina is reporting the single highest one-day total of new cases yet. That was yesterday. Arkansas, the governor there says that his state is seeing a second peak, and he's reminding people how easily this virus can spread.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOV. ASA HUTCHINSON (R-AR): A high school swim party that I'm sure everybody thought was harmless -- they're young, they're swimming, they're just having activity -- and positive cases resulted from that. And so, it's just an encouragement for us to be disciplined in our activities and during this Memorial weekend, we want to be out --

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLACKWELL: Today churches will be open again for services in most of the country. CNN's Polo Sandoval, he is outside St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York.

Still early there yet, Polo. Good morning to you. But we know that this is a priority of the president and that we will see people go back to those sanctuaries, to those mosques, to those synagogues.

SANDOVAL: And, Victor, you might see some places of worship reopen today, but here at the iconic St. Patrick's Cathedral in Manhattan, no services again. The faithful will have to continue to pray at home, at least for now.

Elsewhere around the country, you are seeing those crowds turn out. However, authorities are stressing, if people are going to be out and about this Memorial Day and they do so by taking precautions.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL (voice-over): The first summer holiday since the start of the COVID outbreak, and Americans are flocking to beaches from coast to coast.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We've been quarantining for a while.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We haven't gone to coffee. We cut everything off. And this is the first time we've come out. SANDOVAL: In Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, many seem to be adhering to

social distancing guidelines.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The people are being real respectful. They really are. Even on the beach.

SANDOVAL: Images from shorelines and other parts of the country show people closer than health officials would like to see.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I've got an infection in my spinal cord, but I've also got a Jesus that's a lot larger than any virus that hits this earth. So, if it's my turn to go, I'm going. If not, I'm enjoying life.

SANDOVAL: While local governments keep a keen eye on beaches, faith leaders are tasked with keeping their houses of worship from overcrowding, should they choose to reopen. On Friday, President Trump declared houses of worship as essential.

Also this weekend, a sign of progress in New York state, once the epicenter of the American coronavirus pandemic. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced the daily number of COVID-related deaths fell below 100 for the first time since late March, a figure that once reached nearly 800.

GOV. ANDREW CUOMO (D-NY): The number of lives lost is down to 84. Eighty-four is still a tragedy, no doubt, but the fact that it's down as low as it is is really overall good news.

[06:05:04]

SANDOVAL: Now, concern is shifting to states like Arkansas, where Governor Asa Hutchinson is warning of an ongoing second peak in COVID cases. And North Carolina reported its highest single-day increase in cases only a day after moving into phase two of reopening.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

SANDOVAL: Back to New York, where the head of the archdiocese, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, responding to the remarks that we heard from President Trump on Friday, saying although he appreciates that churches would be deemed essential places, at the same time, what we can expect here is for church officials to continue to follow the guidelines and the recommendations of the state, which is to limit any kind of events of 10 people or less. At this point, it really is, Victor and Christi, a much slower approach than we heard from the White House on Friday.

BLACKWELL: All right. Polo Sandoval in New York. Thank you.

PAUL: Thanks, Polo.

So, President Trump still has his plans in go mode for Memorial Day. Tomorrow he's going to participate in the annual wreath laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. BLACKWELL: And then he and the first lady will go to Baltimore to visit Fort McHenry. The mayor of Baltimore does not want them to come. CNN's Boris Sanchez has more on how Memorial Day ceremonies are being adjusted because of COVID-19.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

SANCHEZ: Even at a time of great uncertainty, there are still efforts under way this Memorial Day weekend to honor those Americans who lost their lives serving their country, though this Memorial Day weekend will be very different than in the years past. With officials weary of having large crowds at memorials because of coronavirus, many ceremonies, including wreath layings, are going online.

The annual observance at the Arlington National Cemetery will be live streamed and closed to the public, though on Thursday, about 1,000 Old Guard soldiers were allowed to continue the annual tradition of placing small American flags near each headstone, more than 240,000 in all.

The cemetery only allowing family members visiting their loved ones' grave sites this weekend, and everyone will be required to wear face masks. Hoping to avoid big gatherings at monuments across the nation's capital, the National Park Service also planning to broadcast wreath layings online.

LITTERST: It wasn't a question of are we going to do something or aren't we going to do something? It was a matter of how can we still honor these fallen men and women while at the same time protecting our visitors and folks who might want to come out?

SANCHEZ (voice-over): Meantime, the National Memorial Day concert will not have an audience on hand this year. It will just be a virtual one.

Though Americans may not be paying their respects in person this Memorial Day weekend will not go by without Americans in various ways honoring those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

Boris Sanchez, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: Sarah Westwood is with us now. Sarah, so good to see you this morning there at the White House. Victor mentioned it earlier. The mayor of Baltimore has a special request for the president when it comes to his potential visit to that city. What more can you tell us this morning?

SARAH WESTWOOD, CNN WHITE HOUSE REPORTER: Well, good morning, Christi. And, yes, Baltimore Mayor Bernard Young is asking President Trump to rethink his visit to Baltimore tomorrow on Memorial Day, and that's because in Baltimore, the stay-at-home orders are still in place.

The government there, the local government still encouraging people to abide by CDC guidelines that recommend no gatherings more than 10 people. The mayor warning that obviously, an event like the president visiting Fort McHenry on Monday will draw more than 10 people, therefore violating in a way the city's stay-at-home orders.

But this is coming as President Trump is getting back out on the road more. You'll see that later this week. He'll also be going to the SpaceX launch in Florida on Wednesday. Vice President Mike Pence also expected to join him there. They are getting back out on the road as their message to the American public is that it's safe for the country to reopen.

We also saw that yesterday, Victor and Christi. It was a beautiful day here in Washington. President Trump went golfing for the first time in a long while, that we know of. The president has been spending his weekends usually here at the White House or at Camp David, focusing on COVID-19.

Yesterday, though, he did head to the golf course. That's something that the Biden campaign seized on yesterday, criticizing President Trump for golfing as the crisis continues, Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: Sarah, let me ask you about the new twist in the Flynn cases, if that case needed another one. There's a judge who's hiring a law firm to explain something to the appeals court. Walk us through this, because it's a bit complicated.

WESTWOOD: That's right. It's a bit complicated. It's just another twist in this Michael Flynn case that has already seen its share of those. But Judge Emmet Sullivan is the judge who oversaw the Flynn case.

[06:10:00]

He has now hired an outside law firm to argue in front of the appeals court in favor of his decision to keep that case alive for now, despite orders from the justice department to drop the prosecution of Michael Flynn. Now, Flynn's lawyers went essentially above the head of Judge Sullivan, went straight to that appeals court, asking for the charges to be thrown out, as prosecutors had recommended from the Trump justice department. But Judge Emmet Sullivan did not immediately move on that motion to dismiss.

And so now the appeals court is asking him by June 1st to explain his reasoning for not moving to end that case and to do so. Judge Emmet Sullivan has hired that outside law firm, which, again, is just a nearly unprecedented move, a very unusual twist for the Michael Flynn saga. And we will see what that defense from Judge Sullivan is in the next couple of weeks because again, June 1st is that deadline -- Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: Yes, plenty of those unprecedented twists. Sarah Westwood, thank you so much.

So, this morning on "STATE OF THE UNION," Jake Tapper is joined by White House senior economic adviser Kevin Hassett, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Florida Senator Rick Scott and Florida Congresswoman Val Demings. "STATE OF THE UNION WITH JAKE TAPPER" airs today at 9:00 Eastern. PAUL: We're following some breaking news out of Hong Kong this hour as well. Police have been firing tear gas at demonstrators protesting China's tightening grip of control there. We're going to take you there live.

BLACKWELL: Plus, getting America back to work. We look at how offices are being redesigned to keep workers safe.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:15:34]

PAUL: Good morning to you. Fifteen minutes past the hour right now.

And local officials in San Francisco are praising firefighters for defending a piece of history. More than 100 of those firefighters saved this living museum, the "SS Jeremiah O'Brien," from the fire that you see behind it there. Now, we do understand one firefighter was hurt, but he is expected to be OK.

BLACKWELL: Now, the ship is from World War II. It helped transport men and supplies to the beaches of Normandy there for the D-Day invasion. CNN's Dan Simon has the latest on the fire that hit the popular Fisherman's Wharf district there. Dan?

DAN SIMON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A very dramatic scene in San Francisco, this fire breaking out at Pier 45 in the famed Fisherman's Wharf neighborhood, Fisherman Wharf's being a popular spot for tourists, usually. Of course, not right now, though, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. But you have more than 125 firefighters race to the scene. And you can see the thick, black smoke filling up the skyline, rolling on to San Francisco Bay.

Crews were able to save a vintage World War II-era ship. That ship now is a museum, the "SS Jeremiah O'Brien," and crews were able to keep that blaze contained to one particular warehouse.

Dan Simon, CNN, San Francisco.

BLACKWELL: Well, every state is now in some phase of opening, and we're all learning and we're seeing it first with the salons and the restaurants and the gyms, they getting back to business does not mean getting back to what we're used to.

PAUL: Yes, and you may see that when you go back into your office, just the aesthetics and the dynamics of where you work. CNN's Clare Sebastian reports on the new office life and says the days are gone of these social hubs and open floor spaces.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If they move my desk one more time, then I'm quitting.

CLARE SEBASTIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): This from the movie "Office Space" is what offices used to look like -- confined spaces, minimum contact.

Over the past few decades, they have evolved to this -- open plans, social hubs, like the Salesforce Tower in San Francisco.

ELIZABETH PINKHAM, EXECUTIVE VP, GLOBAL REAL ESTATE, SALESFORCE: We love to come together. We love to collaborate. We love to have face- to-face meetings. We loved it when the officers were crowded.

SEBASTIAN: Salesforce has spent the last eight weeks turning those principles on their head. Inspired by this model from real estate state firm Cushman and Wakefield dubbed the "6 Feet Office", it's not exactly return to cubicles but there are eerie similarities.

PINKHAM: You have maybe plexiglass dividers between workstations on the open floor plans, and then even meeting rooms will have big capacity sides because they are not able to hold as many people as before.

It's really about giving people visual cues to help remember about that physical distancing.

SEBASTIAN: Plans are still being finalized, but masks will be mandatory, shifts will be staggered, temperatures checked, elevators in the company's many towers socially-distanced.

Across the corporate world, high rise offices present a particular challenge.

SCOTT RECHLER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RXR REALTY: We are changing technology to be able to use Bluetooth to go touchless into the elevators.

SEBASTIAN: Scott Rechler runs RXR Realty, the fourth largest office landlord in Manhattan. He is reevaluating every detail of his buildings.

RECHLER: All the HVAC systems have been changed so that they have filters that are the highest-grade filters that pull or pickup the smallest particles. Where possible we are changing the location like for pantries and printers that usually are in corners were getting congested to more open spaces.

SEBASTIAN: And technology also critical to his plan.

RECHLER: You will have an app that before you even come to work, they'll be able to actually look to see what the health index of the building is. When you go into your space, there's going to be a tool on your app that actually will monitor your extreme social distancing.

And at the end of the day, you'll be able to see (INAUDIBLE) 70 percent, 75 percent.

SEBASTIAN: Amidst all that change, there's one part of this new office reality that's already here.

(on camera): And that is working from home. Many companies are planning to stagger shifts, others are telling staff you can work from home, so they can keep going.

Twitter has even told its employees that if they want to, they can work from home forever. It's clear in this world where the virus is still a threat, the ultimate trick to keeping offices safe is having fewer people in them.

Clare Sebastian, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

[06:20:00]

BLACKWELL: Our breaking news now. This is out of Hong Kong. Police have fired tear gas at demonstrators. They're protesting at China's tightening grip of control there. We'll take you there and get you more of these pictures. That's live next.

PAUL: And think about this number. I mean, really absorb this, 37 million. Food banks say that's how many people in the U.S. are struggling to feed themselves and their families right now. We're talking to a woman who's working to make sure those people, those children get fed. She's asking for your help, and it does not include a donation. What you can do, next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: Breaking news out of Hong Kong. Police have fired tear gas at pro-democracy protesters there.

PAUL: Yes, thousands of people you see here gathering in Hong Kong. They're demonstrating against Beijing's controversial security proposal for that city. CNN's Anna Coren is following the latest. She is there in Hong Kong.

[06:25:00]

I know it was really dicey where you were just a little while ago, Anna. Help us understand what's happening there and good morning.

ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, Christi, hello. Things have certainly quieted down in the last hour, but there were chaotic scenes here earlier today. Multiple rounds of tear gas have been fired throughout Hong Kong to try and break up those demonstrations of thousands of protesters who have turned out onto the streets because of these national security legislation that Beijing wants to enforce upon Hong Kong. It truly is unprecedented.

As we all know, Hong Kong has operated under this one country, two systems policy where freedom of expression, freedom of speech, being able to protest has just been part of Hong Kong. It has been allowed, whereas in mainland China, that is not allowed.

Well, this new law would ban sedition, secession, subversion, and treason. It would also ban international interference, which is something that China has accused the United States of doing here in Hong Kong. We also understand from this proposed legislation, which is currently up for discussion at the National People's Congress this week, is that the Chinese will allow branches of whether it be the police or the military, to set up here in Hong Kong.

So, what it means for protests that we saw on the streets of Hong Kong for much of last year is that they will be a criminal act. And what we have seen here, what we have witnessed over the last few hours, Christi, is dozens of people being arrested. Police have confronted them.

They've put up the blue sign, saying that people must disperse or force will be used. And then the next thing, tear gas is being fired. So, police are not really showing any restraint, not the sort of restraint that we saw last year.

BLACKWELL: You know, we have watched these protests for, as you mentioned, several months now, more regularly last year and several months ago. But in this new COVID-19 era, we look at these pictures through that lens. What's the concern there for Hong Kongers that this will -- they'll spread the virus? Is that even a point of conversation there?

COREN: Yes, it's interesting, Victor. Obviously, the government has used those social distancing laws to prohibit people from taking to the streets and protesting. Obviously, the coronavirus was a concern here in Hong Kong, like it is around much of the world. However, the government has done an extraordinary job, as have the Hong Kong people, in eliminating the virus.

There are barely any local transmissions. If there are cases, they're imported. So, the government is using this to their own political benefit. I mean, the thousands of people who turned out today, they were obviously wearing face masks, but their concern is these national security law, and they feel that their freedoms, their autonomy is going to completely go.

No more one country, two systems. It's one country, one system, the end of Hong Kong as we know it, Victor and Christi.

BLACKWELL: Anna Coren for us there in Hong Kong, stay safe. Thanks so much for the report.

PAUL: Every time you go to the grocery store, I know you see the numbers on that receipt. It feels like it just keeps getting bigger and bigger, and we've all noticed, food prices have gone up, some drastically during this pandemic.

BLACKWELL: Yes, especially meat, because processing plants had to slow. Some of them had to shut down because of outbreaks in the workforce. CNN correspondent Dianne Gallagher takes a look at the impact of the disruptions on the food supply chain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DIANNE GALLAGHER, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Americans looking to get outside this holiday weekend, maybe fire up the grill, should be prepared to continue seeing high prices at the grocery store, especially on those cookout staples like ground beef and chicken.

Now, you may be paying higher prices, but the people who work in those stores, many of them across the country are going to be getting smaller paychecks. The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union once again blasting stores like Kroger for getting rid of the hero bonus, that $2.00 extra an hour that the employees were being paid to work on the front lines during a pandemic.

The union pointing out, the pandemic is not over, saying that some of the store workers are facing even more dangers right now as we Americans start to get frustrated, confrontational, and in some cases violent over store policies like wearing masks.

Now, the meat at the store is also a bit more expensive because we're still seeing plants that are shutting down and causing that logjam in the food supply chain. Just this past week, Tyson Foods confirming that 570 of its employees at its poultry plant in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, tested positive for COVID-19.

[06:30:02]

More than 2,200 of those employees were tested.

Tyson says that they got paid time off if they tested positive and couldn't come back to work unless they have CDC and Tyson guidance met. But still, this is something that economists say is going to continue happening throughout the summer months, meaning that we could still be seeing higher prices well into June. Dianne Gallagher, CNN, Atlanta.

PAUL: Dianne, thank you so much.

So, according to the non-profit Feeding America, more than 37 million Americans were already struggling with hunger before COVID-19 hit. That included 11 million children. And they fear this number will rise substantially in the coming weeks and months.

Now, organizations like Bread for the World are urging Congress to expand health and humanitarian programs and strengthen that food supply chain. Let's talk to the Director of Strategic Campaigns for Bread for the World, Heather Taylor. Heather, it's so good to have you with us. Thank you for making time with us.

I want to look first at what you're dealing with right now. The last couple of months, two, three months, have really changed people's needs and how we can meet those needs. What are you witnessing from families who are food-insecure right now?

HEATHER TAYLOR, DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNS, BREAD FOR THE WORLD: Well, we're seeing the need continue to rise, just as you stated. There are studies that are showing now that the food insecurity rate in American households has doubled since the pandemic began, and childhood hunger has quadrupled. And it stands to gain that it's not going to decrease any time soon.

This is the result of the economic fallout of COVID-19. And we know that the economy is not going to stabilize until potentially 2021. We know, I believe, that CNN has reported nearly 40 million Americans have filed for unemployment.

And so, it's essential that we make an investment in the SNAP Program. Again, that's the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly food stamps, which is the most effective anti-hunger program in America. It's these types of investments that will allow Americans to sustain themselves over the longer term.

PAUL: So, talk to me about SNAP, because -- talk to me about the logistics of getting people what they need through that program. I mean, do you think it would be effective, for example, if this next stimulus plan, which people are expecting a package, if there was a specific provision to boost SNAP, is that there?

TAYLOR: Absolutely. And, specifically, we are asking Congress to boost SNAP, to increase the monthly benefit by 15 percent. And that would translate into about an additional $25 for each individual or $100 per household.

When individuals become beneficiaries of the program, they receive the benefits electronically. And so, it's systematic. It's one of the quickest ways to get individuals the resources they need to get to grocery stores, and in some states, purchase groceries online to reduce their exposure to the virus.

PAUL: So, Heather, real quickly, I was reading on your website that what a lot of people might not realize, one of the real culprits here is the global food shortages in the supply chain. But beyond that, I know that you're not just asking people, obviously, to be aware of what these families and these children are going through, not just to donate, which obviously always is so helpful, but you're in the middle of a letter-writing campaign. What can people at home do to help?

TAYLOR: We encourage viewers to go to bread.org/coronavirus and write their member of Congress. They can click right there online. It's very easy, to urge members of Congress, and particularly, the Senate, to include a provision in the next package to increase SNAP monthly benefit by 15 percent.

This is essential. Yes, we must donate. We must invest in our food banks and charities that are doing a great job. But the reality is, is that we cannot food bank, so to speak, our way out of a pandemic. We must make systemic, smart, strategic investments.

PAUL: That is something. We can't food bank ourselves out of a pandemic. Heather Taylor, I appreciate all of what you're doing. Thank you so much for being with us.

TAYLOR: Thank you for having me.

PAUL: Wishing you the best.

BLACKWELL: Well, we've heard President Trump talk about or push conspiracies online before, and this one, we're wondering, where is this coming from? [06:35:01]

We have to remember that words matter, facts matter. We're going to check out the latest one from the president. Brian Stelter is up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLACKWELL: This morning, we have a new video of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un back in public, this time -- this is at a meeting with military leaders, according to state media. They report the focus of the meeting was increasing the country's nuclear war deterrents. The video was released overnight.

[06:40:01]

PAUL: Now, there have been global speculation, remember, regarding Kim Jong-un's health. This meeting is the North Korean leader's first known public appearance since he attended the opening of a fertilizer factory that was earlier in the month.

BLACKWELL: Well, as the number of coronavirus victims gets closer to 100,000 dead, the president has been out playing golf and spending some really dangerous conspiracy theories. Ordinarily, there's no reason to talk about this, give oxygen to these claims, but there are real world consequences that could risk hurting others.

The latest is about a myth about a young woman who died in 2001. And it's doing just that.

PAUL: Yes. CNN Chief Media Correspondent Brian Stelter's is with us now. Brian, walk us through what's going on here.

BRIAN STELTER, CNN CHIEF MEDIA CORRESPONDENT: Yes, this is a claim that President Trump has been making against MSNBC Host Joe Scarborough. Of course, Scarborough is a very vocal critic of the president. And in response, the president keeps accusing Scarborough of murder.

Now, I can't believe I just said that. It's crazy. This is beyond the pale, but this is what the president has been doing in recent weeks. He's actually dredged up a conspiracy theory that dates back in 2001 that was actually used against Scarborough by left-wing critics back when Scarborough was a Republican congressman. So, now this crazy idea is being used by a right-wing president to criticize Scarborough.

Basically, what happened is very tragic. In 2001, an intern who was working for Scarborough in Florida fell and hit her head and died in his office. He was in Washington at the time. But her death, which was then examined by a medical examiner and was found to be an accident, that she had an undisclosed heart condition, and as a result, she fell and hit her head and passed away.

This is used against Scarborough at the time by these liberals who were trying to get him out of office. If you Google the name, Lori Klausutis, you'll see these theories from back in 2001. Somehow, President Trump has been turned onto this old idea that was debunked many, many years ago and now, he is saying it's a cold case that needs to be reopened. It's beyond the pale, but it's what the president's doing now to distract and attack his critics, to try accuse someone of murder just because they criticize him on television.

BLACKWELL: Yes, we've got one of the tweets up now there. I'm not going to read it. If you want to read it there, it's on your screen and I'll save you if you're listening on Sirius Radio. Brian Stelter --

STELTER: You know what he's been doing lately, Victor, with these tweets also as he's actually seeming to encourage people to investigate. Unfortunately, the family members for this woman who died in 2001, they've been targeted by conspiracy theorists for a long time.

They've chosen not to speak out. I did reach out to the father of this woman, to the ex-husband. They've chosen not to speak about this case. They don't want to create any more fodder for these conspiracy theorists, you know.

So, it's a very awful situation for a family when you have a president promoting a debunked theory that involves your daughter who passed away.

BLACKWELL: But it's like what we saw with the Seth Rich family.

STELTER: It is a lot like the Seth Rich case, where this man who was murdered in Washington, who worked for the DNC, became part of a wild conspiracy theory involving Russia. And, of course, the family in that case as well said we don't want this attention. We're trying to grieve for our family member.

But the paradox of Trump's Twitter feed is that most people ignore what he says. Most people don't read the tweets, don't care what he says when he makes up lies on Twitter. But some people care a lot. They care a lot and they take it very seriously. And that fundamentally is why these conspiracy theories matter.

BLACKWELL: Yes.

PAUL: Yes, and we have to remember, you know who else cares? The families care, because this is a real thing for them. And it's a hard thing to reconcile when you lose somebody, even if it was back in 2001, and to have it still playing out publicly. That is hard to reconcile.

BLACKWELL: All right, Brian Stelter, thanks so much for being with us this morning. And, of course, watch Reliable Sources today at 11:00 Eastern right here on CNN.

PAUL: All right, after shutting down more than two months ago, the NBA appears to be on the road to playing games again. The when, the where, the how, that's next. BLACKWELL: Also, join CNN's Fareed Zakaria as he investigates the moment a pandemic was born. CNN's special report, "China's Deadly Secret" tonight at 9:00 on CNN.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

[06:45:00]

PAUL: Well, it looks like there may finally be a light at the end of the tunnel for NBA fans. It appears they're ready to play some games.

BLACKWELL: All right, Carolyn Manno, let's bring her in. There has not been an NBA game in more than two months. And, really, when the NBA suspended the season, that was what really told people, this is serious, things are going to change. Do we have a timeline of when games could be back?

CAROLYN MANNO, CNN SPORTS CORRESPONDENT: Yes, good morning, Christi and Victor. You're right, the NBA set this precedent and now there is light at the end of the tunnel because they're establishing a timeline here for when the season is going to get back on track. The goal is to have games being played in late July, and they are also narrowing down a location for where this is all going to take place.

[06:50:00]

Las Vegas was mentioned, but now we know that it is, in fact, Orlando, Florida, the league saying via release that it is going to be at ESPN's wide world of sports complex at Walt Disney World with players, coaches and staff staying in rooms at the resort. The talks to resume play at this really expansive complex are being described right now as exploratory by the league.

But there are a lot of questions here. Players will need time to get back into game shape. Only about half of the teams have reopened their practice facilities for individual workouts at this point in time, so we're likely going to learn more about the actual format, the number of teams involved and also the safety protocols that will be in place on June 1st. That is when, according to ESPN, the league is going to send some guidelines to its players about what to expect over the next couple months as we head towards July.

In the meantime, Florida also the setting for one of the highest anticipated live sporting events in months. That is the match, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning, Tom Brady all playing at a $10 million charity golf event. Those four are difference-makers in their respective sports. Now, they are also difference-makers when it comes to fight against the coronavirus.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's really a -- you know, just a unique moment in time. And I think the ability to do good and help others is at the core of what this was all about. And the fact that, you know, look, I get an opportunity to go play golf with three of the guys that I've always looked up to in sports is something I certainly, you know, couldn't turn down.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of people are hurting right now, Ernie. A lot of people are struggling. I mentioned New Orleans, my hometown, is once again being hit hard by this virus, as are many communities around the country. So, you know, I don't think this event would happen if it wasn't going to benefit those people that are hurting.

And so I think that's why it's a double win. To watch -- I don't think anybody wants to see Tom and I hit golf balls as much as they want to see these two hall of famers, Tiger and Phil, play golf. And to be a part of it and to raise money, we're glad to do it. And if it helps some people along way and take their minds off of it, that's even better.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MANNO: The match: Champions for Charity, tees off at 3:00 P.M. Eastern today. You can watch it across our family of networks.

So, Christi and Victor, after a rough couple of months for sports fans, things are looking up. The NBA coming back and we've got a fantastic event today.

BLACKWELL: All right, looking forward to it. They're going to be mic'd though, right? So we're going to hear some of the trash talk?

MANNO: Oh, that's right. And I think you can expect quite a bit, based on what we know about these four.

BLACKWELL: All right. We'll be listening for it. Carolyn Manno, thank you so much.

PAUL: Yes, it's going to be a good show.

All right, yesterday, we asked all of you how you feel about your children going back to school or going back to daycare. Teachers have been weighing in. Parents have been weighing in. What are your concerns, if you have any, about them returning? Oh, the responses we've had. We're going to share some of them when we come back.

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[06:55:00]

PAUL: All right. So, the future in the fight against COVID-19 might look a little bit different than we thought it would. A trial is under way in the U.K. to see if six specially trained dogs can actually sniff out the virus early before symptoms appear.

BLACKWELL: Yes. Have you heard of the dogs who can sniff out Parkinson's and malaria? Well, this is similar. And CNN's Max Foster reports that if this experiment works, they could be a vital tool in the pandemic.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MAX FOSTER, CNN ANCHOR AND CORRESPONDENT: This dog is being trained to detect prostate cancer. She's presented with urine samples and rewarded when she identifies the correct one.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Good girl. Good girl.

FOSTER: This dog is able to identify the odor of malaria sufferers. Their next mission here is to train dogs to sniff out people infected with COVID-19.

DR. STEVE LINDSAY, PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGICAL AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY: The way we're going to do that is by collecting using face mask, and we're asking people to wear these face masks for a few hours. Then we carefully collect those. And the other thing we're going to do is get people to wear nylon socks.

That sounds a bit strange, but we know from our previous experience that this is a really good way of collecting odors from people, and it's such an easy way to do it.

FOSTER: If the training is successful, one of their first deployments is likely to be airports, where dogs are already used to sniff out drugs and other contraband. If they help reopen the travel industry, that could be the boost to international trade that governments everywhere have been looking for.

Max foster, CNN, outside London.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

PAUL: All right. Well, I know that you all have real concerns about sending your kids back to school in the fall or to daycare as well. People sent me a lot of tweets showing they are concerned, they have internal conflict too between keeping everybody safe and keeping their students' education and socialization up.

Here is what Maria says. Quote, I've been working from home, but now I'm having a lot of pressure from my employer to go back to the office and I'm being forced to leave my two-year-old at daycare, even when I expressed my concern to them.

Laurie wrote, I would not allow my child to return to school until a reliable vaccine is available, even if the school is sanitized. The child brings home the personal habits of every other family, teacher and staff member. We cannot control this risk.

And quoting Amy now, she says, I'm just planning on getting COVID-19 when my kids return to school. I think it's inevitable.

We did have people who said they would send their kids back to school. We did have a student who said he was concerned about going back because there're so many people close together. But Jacqueline said this, quote, I'm going to follow my instincts, take it one day at a time, have compassion, and avoid judging others for their choices.

Thank you, Jacqueline for this strong, yet very sober thought process through all of it, that a lot of you thought it out so well. And we appreciate and value your voice, so thank you for the tweets.

[07:00:00]

We'll be right back.